Circular railway network for Bengaluru to cost Rs 23,000 crore: MoS V Somanna

The proposed network connects Nidvanda, Doddaballapur, Devanahalli, Malur, Heelalige, Solur, and Nidvanda, to increase Bengaluru's rail capacity and decongest bottlenecks in its existing railway network.

The complainants stated that when they reached the station to board the train, they received a message on their registered mobile numbers, stating the train would not come to Gurgaon on December 13 due to technical reasons. (Express Archives)

Minister of State for Railways, V Somanna, on Saturday announced that the proposed circular railway network for Bengaluru will cost Rs 23,000 crore, and a detailed project report (DPR) for the same is being prepared.

The Ministry of Railways has accorded approval to the first leg of the 287 km circular railway network for Bengaluru. Touted to be one of the largest circular networks in India, the network will be developed on the outskirts of the Karnataka capital. The project is expected to ensure robust local train services, reduce traffic congestion around Bengaluru, and complement the existing Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP) and Namma Metro.

The proposed network connects Nidvanda, Doddaballapur, Devanahalli, Malur, Heelalige, Solur, and Nidvanda, and is expected to increase Bengaluru’s rail capacity and decongest bottlenecks. As per South Western Railway (SWR) officials, the final location survey is almost done, following which the SWR will submit the DPR to the Railway Board for approval.

Also Read | On the slow track: Here’s all you need to know about the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project

Somanna held several meetings with Members of Parliament (MPs) and Bengaluru Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to discuss different railway projects under the Bengaluru division. He said that the Railway Ministry will take up the entire project and bear the full cost to speed up the construction of road over bridges (ROBs) and road under bridges (RUBs) in Karnataka.

The Railway Ministry has approved 93 ROB/RUB works in Karnataka, which are estimated to cost Rs 1,699 crore. Of these, 49 works were approved on the basis of cost-sharing between the central and state governments. However, the state government has withdrawn its cost-sharing consent for 32 of these works. The Railway Ministry will now undertake 14 of these important ROB works at 100% cost, amounting to Rs 208 crore, and will complete the remaining 18 works with an estimated cost of Rs 590 crore using the central government’s grant.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
railways